Occult Rituals

It’s a common belief that only those initiated in the rites and practices of arcane, divine, or psychic magic can cast spells, but this is not strictly true. Hidden within dusty libraries and amid the ramblings of lunatics lie the mysteries of another form of spellcasting—occult ritual magic. These spells are rare, coveted by both those eager to gain their power and those wishing to hide their existence. Most traditional spellcasters consider these rituals dangerous and uncontrollable, something to be avoided or used as a last resort. They fear the power these ceremonies grant to the uninitiated, as the rituals allow those with only a glimmering of understanding the ability to interact with the underlying fabric of magic.

While anyone can attempt to cast occult rituals, the process is fraught with peril. The strange and intricate incantations are often challenging to perform with precision, and failure can weaken the casters or even unleash horrors upon the world. Even when successfully performed, each occult ritual has a price—a backlash that affects at least the caster leading the ritual, and often those assisting in its performance.Click here for the full rules on Occult Rituals.

Effect

Through a process of reaching mutual understanding and agreeing on a shared goal, the casters of this ritual are joined in the pursuit of knowledge. Each secondary caster holds on to a section of long copper wire, while the primary caster questions them. Only when assured of the purity of joint purpose among all casters does the primary caster permit the other casters to let go of the wire, successfully completing the ritual. Failure by the primary caster to conduct this purpose-driven interrogation, or by the secondary casters to withstand it, can lead to severe mental trauma for all involved.

While devoting the remainder of the day to research and study, each caster can choose one of the following bonuses after the ritual’s completion.

Decrease the time necessary to attempt an untrained Knowledge check by using a library (as per the Knowledge skill) to 1 hour.

Gain a +5 insight bonus on all Knowledge checks of one type for the remainder of the day.

While using a library or similar research resource, replace a required Knowledge check with a Perception check at a –5 penalty.